and Jackie ran and put his arms about her, for he loved his little
Peggs very dearly; and he said to her:

"What's the matter, Peggsie? Did a spider bite you?"

"No," says Peggs, "it didn't."

"Was it a naughty worm?"

"No," says Peggs, "it wasn't."

"Well, what was it?" says Jackie.

"It weren't anything that bit me, only I want a doll," and away she
cried again.

"Huh!" says Jackie, "that's nothing. You don't want a doll any mor'n I
want a soldier," and he sat down beside her and began to cry, too.

And after they had cried for a long time, maybe four hours or two,
they stopped.

"I tell you what!" says Jackie.

"What?" says Peggs, drying her eyes on her pinafore.

"If no one will give us a soldier"...

"But I don't want a soldier," says Peggs. "I want a doll."